Wheel stops are used widely in rail transportation systems for safety purposes. For example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,420,190 and 229,100, portable wheel stops for overhead cranes provide a means for engaging the wheels of an overhead crane to prevent movement of the crane past a certain point on the rail. Such portable crane stops are required by OSHA regulations which mandate that cranes on overhead rails which are in operation on the same runway shall be isolated by rail stops or other suitable means to prevent interference with an idle crane. These known devices are provided as portable units which require a operator to be located at an overhead position. Such devices do not permit selective engagement or disengagement safely from a ground location.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a wheel stop device for an overhead vehicle which facilitates actuation from a ground location and which offers enhanced safety and manufacturing features compared to prior art devices. It would also be desirable to provide a wheel stop system which includes an actuator that is operable from a ground location.